05/06/2025 10:15 AM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS

            HCR  6-US MARINE CORPS 250TH ANNIVERSARY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:18:51 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR EISCHEID announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION NO.  6, Commemorating  the 250th                                                               
Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:19:04 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JUBILEE UNDERWOOD,  Alaska State  Legislature, as                                                               
prime  sponsor,   presented  HCR  6   to  the  committee.     She                                                               
paraphrased  the sponsor  statement for  HCR 6  [included in  the                                                               
committee  file], which  read  as  follows [original  punctuation                                                               
provided]:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
          House  Concurrent  Resolution 6  commemorates  the                                                                    
     250th anniversary  of the  United States  Marine Corps,                                                                    
     to  be observed  on November  10, 2025,  and recognizes                                                                    
     the  long and  honorable history  of the  United States                                                                    
     Marines  Corps,  and  the Corps'  contribution  to  the                                                                    
     protection of  freedom and liberty  for our  nation and                                                                    
     the  world. Established  on November  10, 1775,  at Tun                                                                    
     Tavern   in   Philadelphia,   the  Marine   Corps   has                                                                    
     distinguished  itself  as  a  premier  military  force,                                                                    
     embodying  the  core  values  of  honor,  courage,  and                                                                    
     commitment.  This resolution  calls  upon Alaskans  and                                                                    
     all Americans to honor this historic                                                                                       
     milestone    and    celebrate   the    Marine    Corps'                                                                    
     extraordinary legacy of service and sacrifice.                                                                             
     The United  States Marine  Corps has  been instrumental                                                                    
     in shaping the nation's history, demonstrating                                                                             
     exceptional leadership, resilience,  and valor in every                                                                    
     major conflict, from the Revolutionary War to the                                                                          
     Global War  on Terrorism.  Through iconic  battles such                                                                    
     as Trenton, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Inchon, Fallujah                                                                             
     and Ramadi,  Marines have showcased  their adaptability                                                                    
     and unwavering dedication to safeguarding                                                                                  
     national  security. The  motto Semper  Fidelis reflects                                                                    
     their enduring loyalty, inspiring generations to                                                                           
     serve with distinction.                                                                                                    
     This resolution  pays tribute to  the Marines  and Navy                                                                    
     corpsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice, and                                                                              
     recognizes  the men  and  women  currently serving  who                                                                    
     uphold this storied tradition. It encourages                                                                               
     Alaskan  communities to  acknowledge the  contributions                                                                    
     of local Marines and to foster collaboration                                                                               
     with  the  Marine  Corps to  promote  civic  pride  and                                                                    
     mutual support. By commemorating this anniversary,                                                                         
     the  resolution  seeks  to   strengthen  the  bonds  of                                                                    
     camaraderie between the Marine Corps and the                                                                               
     people of Alaska.                                                                                                          
     Representative Underwood  respectfully urges colleagues                                                                    
     to support this resolution to ensure the                                                                                   
     United  States  Marine  Corps' remarkable  history  and                                                                    
     ongoing contributions are duly recognized and                                                                              
     celebrated across Alaska and the nation.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:22:07 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
BUDDY  WHIT,  Staff,  Representative  Jubilee  Underwood,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature,  on behalf of Representative  Underwood, prime                                                               
sponsor  of HCR  6,  gave a  PowerPoint  presentation [hard  copy                                                               
included in  the committee  file].   He began  on slide  1, which                                                               
described  what the  United States  Marine Corps  (USMC) is,  and                                                               
moved  through slides  2-3, which  gave a  brief overview  of the                                                               
history of  the USMC.   He moved to  slide 4, which  outlined the                                                               
mission of the  USMC, and continued to slide  5, which emphasized                                                               
that "every marine is a rifleman."   He skipped to slide 8, which                                                               
highlighted the  importance of the  difference in using  the word                                                               
"birthday" instead  of "anniversary" with regards  to celebrating                                                               
the USMC founding  date, and he moved through  slides 9-10, which                                                               
detailed  the  USMC  birthday celebrations.    He  concluded  the                                                               
presentation on slides 11-12.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:29:19 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NELSON asked Mr. Whit  about his time in the USMC.                                                               
He noted  that the United  States Congress attempted  to dissolve                                                               
the  USMC after  World War  II, but  it was  retained due  to its                                                               
outstanding performance.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  WHIT answered  that  he  was an  enlisted  soldier that  was                                                               
trained as a  rigger and participated in the  USMC reserves after                                                               
his time in active duty service.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:31:34 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER asked  Representative Underwood  if there                                                               
is a national desire to  pass similar resolutions in other states                                                               
and asked about the USMC presence in Alaska.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. WHIT  replied that there  is no nationwide push  to celebrate                                                               
the  250th  birthday  of  the  USMC  by  state  legislatures  and                                                               
explained that the  majority of the marines in Alaska  are a part                                                               
of a military police detachment.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:34:48 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY  noted that  even though  his focus  had been                                                               
with the  U.S. Army,  he recognized the  importance of  the 250th                                                               
birthday of  the USMC, and he  asked when women began  serving in                                                               
USMC.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. WHIT said  that he did not  know but would follow  up with an                                                               
answer.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:36:15 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  EISCHEID  opened  public  testimony   on  HCR  6.    After                                                               
ascertaining  that there  was no  one who  wished to  testify, he                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:36:46 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR EISCHEID  moved to adopt  Conceptual Amendment 1 to  HCR 6,                                                               
which read as follows:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 2:                                                                                                            
          Delete "Corps'"                                                                                                       
          Insert "Corps's"                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER objected,  then  withdrew his  objection.                                                               
There being no  further objection, Conceptual Amendment  1 to HCR
 was adopted.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:37:49 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRAY  moved to  report HCR 6,  as amended,  out of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.    There  being no  objection,  CSHCR  6(MLV)  was                                                               
reported  from  the  House  Special  Committee  on  Military  and                                                               
Veterans' Affairs.